Rod and resiliently projected ring

ABSTRACT

The game device includes a circular band of a resilient material such as plastic, and a rod. The resilient member is placed on the ground or floor and the toe-portion of the shoe is then pressed down on it from above and moved to the rear. This compresses the resilient member and when the shoe tip slides far enough backward that it is free of the member, the resilient member jumps into the air whereupon the player attemps to place the rod through the aperture in the resilient member while it is still in the air.

United States Patent [1 1 Santangelo [111 3,825,263 [4 1 July 23, 1974 ROD AND RESILIENTLY PROJECTED RING 21 Appl. No.: 299,012

3,659,849 5/l972 Seymour 273/96 B Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or FirmMaleson & Kimmelman 5 7 ABSTRACT The game device includes a circular band of a resilient material such as plastic, and a rod. The resilient member is placed on the ground or floor and the toeportion of the shoe is then pressed down on it from above and moved to the rear. This compresses the resilient member and when the shoe tip slides far enough backward that it is free of the member, the resilient member jumps into the air whereupon the player attemps to place the rod through the aperture in the resilient member while it is still in the air.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 ROD AND RESILIENTLY PROJECTED RING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to games and especially to a game that can be played by one or more persons using the game device as explained below.

2. Prior Art Games and game devices are known in which objects are placed on the floor or the ground and, when engaged by the foot of the player, is propelled toward a target on the ground, for example. Games are also known in which a ring is tossed back and forth between players who try to catch or impale the ring on a swordlike rod. However, no game is known in which a resilient circular band member is placed on the ground or floor, is compressed by the toe-portion of the players shoe and then released so that it springs into the air whereupon the player attempts to catch it on the rod provided. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide such a game which has been found to r be highly amusing to those who play it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A circular band of resilient material such as plastic is placed under the toe-portion of the players shoe. When the player depresses the toe-portion it compresses the resilient band and when the player then moves his foot backward until the shoe is free of the band, the compressed band springs into the air whereupon the same player or another attempts to insert a rod through the aperture in the resilient member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of part of the game device shown depressed by the toe-portion of a players shoe;

FIG. 2 shows the trajectory of the game device shown in FIG. 1 after the toe-portion has been released from the depressed resilient game device and also shows in perspective how that device is caught on the rod portion of the game device; and

FIG. 3 shows in perspective the resilient band and rod portions of the game device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the FIGS. 1-3, there is shown in FIG. 3 the resilient, compressable, circular band device 6 which may be made from plastic, rubber or other resilient or elastomeric material. For example, the device 6 may be made of a plastic band approximately2 inches wide and approximately 4 /2 inches in diameter. The

rod 8 may be made of wood, plastic, or other suitable relatively rigid material, although a somewhat elastic form may be used if desired. As shown in FIG. 1, the player puts the band 6 on the ground or floor and then depresses the central portion of the side surface of the resilient member 6 with the toe-portion 5 of his shoe. As shown in FIG. 2, the player then moves his foot backward maintaining contact with the top surface of the band 6 and keeping it compressed until the very front tip of his shoe is clear of the edge of the member 6. When this happens, the compressed band 6 suddenly jumps into the air as it seeks to revert to its uncompressed condition and may describe a trajectory as shown in the dotted line 9 of FIG. 2, for example. In jumping up, it usually turns end-over-end several times and the object of the game is for the same player (or another) to move the rod 8 so that it passes through the aperture in the band 6 as shown in FIG. 2. Thegame may be scored by giving each player a set number, say ten attempts and then declaring as the winner the person who achieves the highest percentage of catches by the rod 8 of the band 6. Of course, still other variations in scoring and playing are also possible such as, for example, having one player perform the band compression step and a different player perform the catching step.

I claim:

1. An amusement assembly for use by a player wearing a shoe or the like, comprising:

a. a generally circular band having substantially parallel, opposing inner and outer surfaces and two edges, said band normally being capable of resting by itself in a fixed position with a portion of its outer surface on a supporting horizontal surface, said band being made of a resilient non-rigid material, the outer surface of said band being sufficiently wide to permit at least a portion of the toe of a shoe to initially press down thereupon and thereafter to be slidingly retracted until it is disengaged therefrom, said band being sufficiently resilient to be initially compressed to a significant extent by the pressure of said toe thereupon and then bounding upwardly when said toe is retracted slidingly and disengaged therefrom, and

b. a generally elongated member adapted to be moved to engage the opening in said band when it is in the air.

2. The amusement assembly according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member is a rigid rod.

3. The amusement assembly according to claim 2 wherein said resilient band is made of plastic.

4. The amusement assembly according to claim 2 wherein said rod is made of wood. 

1. An amusement assembly for use by a player wearing a shoe or the like, comprising: a. a generally circular band having substantially parallel, opposing inner and outer surfaces and two edges, said band normally being capable of resting by itself in a fixed position with a portion of its outer surface on a supporting horizontal surface, said band being made of a resilient non-rigid material, the outer surface of said band being sufficiently wide to permit at least a portion of the toe of a shoe to initially press down thereupon and thereafter to be slidingly retracted until it is disengaged therefrom, said band being sufficiently resilient to be initially compressed to a significant extent by the pressure of said toe thereupon and then bounding upwardly when said toe is retracted slidingly and disengaged therefrom, and b. a generally elongated member adapted to be moved to engage the opening in said band when it is in the air.
 2. The amusement assembly according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member is a rigid rod.
 3. The amusement assembly according to claim 2 wherein said resilient band is made of plastic.
 4. The amusement assembly according to claim 2 wherein said rod is made of wood. 